Air mattresses or air-type bedding such as that disclosed in Patent Documents 1 through 3 is known in the art. Patent Document 1 discloses a technique in which air bladders corresponding to the thigh area, right and left shoulder area, or buttock area of a person reclining upon a base mat of an air mattress are provided, the supply and release of air to and from these air bladders is controlled by a control device, and the breathing motions of the person lying on the air mattress are assisted. In the air mattress disclosed in Patent Document 1, the air supply/release device for inflating and deflating the air bladders is disposed at a corner of the base mat, or disposed upon the exterior of the base mat.
Patent Document 2 discloses an air-type bedding having a configuration in which a plurality of air bladders is provided upon an upper surface of a spread bedding such as a mattress or the like at positions corresponding to the thigh area, feet area, and other lower extremities of a person reclining on the mattress, and rubbing of the lower extremities of the person lying on the mattress is performed through the inflation and deflation of these air bladders.
Patent Document 3 discloses an air mattress for preventing decubitus ulcers in which a reinforcing member is provided at an end of the air mattress in the lengthwise direction, i.e., an end on the head area side or leg area side of a person lying on the air mattress, a soft member formed from an elastic material softer than that of the reinforcing member is provided further toward the exterior than the reinforcing member, and an air supply pump is embedded within the soft member. Patent Document 3 also discloses that the air supply pump can be prevented from impeding the work of a caretaker or the like by integrating the pump with the mattress.